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people referred to dogs being hurt, but hares are also hurt. One can go through the reports from the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and we can see how many letters I received just in respect of last season. I will go from A to Z. In Abbeydorney … attack on rural life. The vast majority of people in Dublin are not as separated from rural life as the Minister of State might think. Neither of my parents was born in Dublin. They came to Dublin and then they had children. I am a first-generation

this point. Their determination to see these horrific injustices acknowledged and redressed is a gift to Irish society. It is a huge service to us all and it comes at enormous personal cost. Openness and transparency are so important. I am aware that the Government and other institutions … torture and other cruel treatment - for the State not to have any way of parents complaining to Government authorities over instances of abuse. Instead, parents were sent to the parish priest. As the European Court of Human Rights ruled, the State failed in its due diligence duties

Irish Farmers' Journal, Agriland and everywhere else. The Department has also provided direct information to farm advisory services and held meetings with the public and private advisory services to ensure the requirements are fully understood. A detailed map layer has been available on the application system … concerns raised around the timing but my Department is engaging directly with farmers and advisory services. There was no opportunity to further delay the introduction of GAEC 2. It was not legally possible to delay its introduction and failure to implement the standard would result in significant financial

being moved to today so that I could take it myself, which I wanted to do. I also thank the Minister of State, Deputy Grealish, for having taken the Bill in my absence the last time it was discussed. Animal welfare in general comes under the Department … clarity on socialisation of pups, and accurate record-keeping. It stipulates staff to animal ratios and allows for unannounced inspections by local veterinary services and beyond. The guidelines are published and are available on my Department's website. It is important to note that dog breeding establishments must

critical infrastructure in the energy, transport and water sectors as a priority. This infrastructure is necessary to underpin all other development in the State from housing, which is the most important infrastructure we need, to other economic and social investments. A recent Government circular established a mandatory cross … successfully implementing legislation will be to strategically concentrate on key projects that will help delivery of housing and other infrastructure such as water services that have been mentioned. If we are focused on what we do, we can get a lot done but it is important

with the core rights promised in law, like individual education plans and proper assessments, still unfulfilled. This is not just a legal technicality. It is a moral failing. It means thousands of families are still waiting for timely diagnoses, proper supports and an education system that recognises every … Many are awaiting services. Despite a growing number of children with complex functional challenges, the school does not have access to on-site occupational therapy services. Instead, the special needs team, led by Mr. Nicholas McCarthy, deputy principal, must navigate a complex web of service providers, including primary

with dementia use a range of additional services that support older people, including day care centres. Home support is a cornerstone. The programme for Government commits to increasing ring-fenced dementia home support hours. Under the HSE's 2026 national service plan, a minimum … voluntary home support providers will be registered and regulated by HIQA and the Chief Inspector of Social Services. The aim is to improve the safety and quality of home support services by ensuring providers meet standards set by ministerial regulation. This will give the public confidence regarding quality

agencies. There was a seven-year inquiry into NAMA’s €1.6 billion Project Eagle which resulted in €14.4 million being spent primarily on legal fees and administrative costs. The new X-ray scanner at the National Gallery cost €124,000 and the Arts Council’s failed IT system … There is also mismanagement in the HSE. The HSE has faced multiple instances where projects were delayed or went over budget which impacted service delivery. Obviously, there have to be agency nurses but we have seen an over-reliance on agency staff in administration. It is not good

also something that is very important. We should never see a situation where politicians or those in positions of power use the legal system to try to inhibit good and fair journalists from doing their job. That is not to say that media should be above criticism … fortunate that we have a very pluralistic media that is open to express a wide range of views. As the Minister of State said, while the Bill does not deal with every aspect of EMFA, it focuses primarily on media plurality and advertising by public bodies. I welcome

certain situation, could end up in counselling saying, "I blame myself." That would be seized upon by the defence. The Minister of State knows it would and yet we are allowing that to be done. People can blame themselves for ending up - and also because it is often … heal those who have been damaged by gender-based violence are taking this. This is a health issue. The cost to the health service, by the way, of allowing people not have therapy is very high. Now is the time to completely eliminate this. The Minister indicated that

each complex; — this decision is now fatally undermining years of community consultation, and further delaying the bringing of these flat complexes up to legally required standards for rental accommodation; and — Dublin City Councillors from Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Labour Party, the Green Party and some Independents voted … retrofit and regeneration of the flat complexes; and — provide DCC with a dedicated team of staff, headed by a senior assistant director of service, with a comprehensive budget, to drive an accelerated programme of flat complex retrofit and regeneration. The flat communities of Dublin's inner city

delighted to have the opportunity to speak on this proposal from Deputy Coppinger. I wish to state clearly at the outset that I and my Department take the matter of animal welfare most seriously. My Department devotes considerable resources to protect the well-being of animals and deal … landowners on whose land hunting takes place. Foxes are not a protected species under the wildlife Acts in Ireland and it is legal to hunt foxes under the legislation. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne, has no plans to change the legislation with regard

Warmer Homes Scheme, which provides fully funded upgrades for those in energy poverty and is targeting 11,500 upgrades this year; — Ireland has legally binding targets for the collection and recycling of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, and the Deposit Re-turn Scheme is ensuring we meet those targets … accounting and disclosure requirements as other companies of a comparable size, and companies operating in Ireland, including those connected with other EU member states, are subject to harmonised reporting frameworks under EU law; — any proposal to introduce additional reporting obligations, for a particular sector, would therefore need

strict GDPR limitations and interpretations to legally block councils from getting collision data since November 2023, even though the Data Protection Commission explicitly stated that GDPR should not prevent proportionate publication of crash location details, especially when the technology exists to get rid of personal identifiers by anonymising … this legislation highlights one of the important gaps in our core road traffic framework, that is, that the law still fails to legally recognise the loss of an unborn child caused by dangerous driving. If the Government is fully committed to comprehensive reform, mechanisms to address gaps like

prioritised the two-state solution, including addressing threats to its viability. I have also had calls with a number of counterparts, including the Jordanian foreign minister. Ireland is centrally involved in the work of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, which was formally … between Israel and Palestine through the realisation of the two-state solution. Ireland was proud to recognise the State of Palestine in May of last year. We took this important step to keep hope in the two-state solution alive. Throughout this terrible situation, Ireland has bilaterally

social care services. My Department funds, via the HSE, specialist, community-based disability services, which are designed for the 60,000 people with a significant intellectual disability, autism or a complex physical disability. These services include multidisciplinary therapies for children or adults, adult day services, personal assistants, home … support, respite and residential services. Some €3.2 billion has been allocated for HSE disability services in budget 2025. This is up 11.5% compared to 2024 and represents an increase of €333 million, the largest ever increase in the disability services budget. While the overall budget has increased

State to court for that." That is incredible. The State is breaking its own laws and then we, correctly, have to encourage people to take the State to court just to get the State to move - because it works. People know that if you take the State … take the State to court for not meeting your educational needs. Again, it is obscene that we have a law and that the State, the Government, is breaking its own law and then 25 families a month have to take the State to court at significant expense

state responsible for examining an international protection application. Part 4 provides for the determination of the member state responsible for examining an application. Provision is made for matters relating to transfer decisions. Part 4 sets out the procedures that will apply when Ireland is the member state responsible … legislation. It places an obligation on this State to ensure that we process applications, in certain instances under the asylum border procedure, within a period of 12 weeks. That expedited process is fair to the applicant and fair to the State. Part 6 deals with the right

regulation and legislation are being implemented. In relation to data protection, it appears that section 2 of this Bill would alter the legal basis set out in the EU general data protection regulation, GDPR, for the processing of personal data by requiring consent in all cases where … conflict with the GDPR, would likely have limited benefit. It would appear the Bill confines its provisions to video-sharing platform services as defined in the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act. This means it would only apply to such platforms established in Ireland, thereby excluding platforms such

from non-HSE sources; travel, accommodation and meals funding; shareholdings over €13,000 or 5% of a company; or gifts, property or services over €650. For public health employees outside the remit of this Act, section 17 of the HSE's national financial regulations prohibits all employees from … that could compromise integrity. Nominal benefits must be disclosed to their line managers. In addition, the code of practice around the governance of State bodies advises against giving and receiving gifts or benefits that could affect judgment and that could reasonably give cause or be perceived to cause

that it is basically how the State does shopping. It is how it goes out and buys and purchases things, be those services or goods. We are all very familiar with the big projects and the scandals, essentially, that have hit this Government over the last number … reaches into many of the smaller things. I have worked in the public sector and I have been an Accounting Officer in a State agency, so I am very familiar with the procurement process and how deep it is in the heart of every public sector body

shared by the Bar Council. The question is not whether gardaí need this tool but whether the new powers are necessary, proportionate and legally sound and we should be able to debate the Minister's proposal on this Stage. Let me turn to pepper sprays in prisons … overcrowding as a justification for a bad policy, when overcrowding is also a consequence of numerous other bad policies. HM Prison and Probation Service, when evaluating the use of PAVA spray in England and Wales, found it was "unable to conclusively demonstrate that the use of PAVA

duration of the procedure. It brings order, clarity and structure, and it reduces the confusion that can arise in communities and services when people have no consistent documentation. Another key reform in this Bill is the restructuring of decision-making at first instance and on appeal. Under … have an entitlement to international protection. That is not unfair; that is common sense. It is aligned with how many EU member states already operate - ending the endless delays. Similarly, the Bill provides for an accelerated examination procedure, with a three-month time limit. This is essential

difficult to do so. This should be something a person can make their way through without incurring the cost of legal representation, which, as the Minister will appreciate, would be a chilling factor for many workers. The more easily accessible and plainer the language is, the better. There … wealthy and big businesses. I am again calling on the Government to honour its election promises and to stop paying lip service to workers in this State. For the workers we are seeking to protect here and other workers, it is vital to recognise that they are living

agency and key State agencies and partners, including the Health Service Executive, An Garda Síochána, local authorities and others. The duty applies to these bodies in the performance of their existing functions when those functions are performed in the planning and delivery of services to, and activities … This Act will commence in tandem with the development of the guardian ad litem national service. Section 21 provides that the Minister when considering arranging for the provision of legal advice or representation, a guardian ad litem may now also consider whether a solicitor has been appointed